A Cure for All Diseases

Convalescing in Sandytown, Dalziel befriends Charlotte Heywood who is researching the benefits of alternative therapy. With much in common, the two soon find themselves in league when trouble comes to town. Sandytown's principal landowners have grandiose plans for the resort -- none of which they can agree on. One of them has to go, and when one of them does, in spectacularly gruesome fashion, DCI Peter Pascoe is called in to investigate -- with Dalziel and Charlotte providing unwelcome support.

I had listened to and very much enjoyed Hill's 'The Woodcutter' - so chose this as a follow on. But it was SO slow in developing any plot, and I found the overly cheerful Charlie character so annoying I could hardly listen. The main character, Dalziel seemed unbelievable too - all too jolly and witty. I struggled on for 3 hours to give it a chance - but no - that's it. Can't go on.

Stoner

William Stoner is born at the end of the 19th century into a dirt-poor Missouri farming family. Sent to the state university to study agronomy, he instead falls in love with English literature and embraces a scholar's life, far different from the hardscrabble existence he has known. And yet as the years pass, Stoner encounters a succession of disappointments.

What an extraordinary and deeply touching book this is. It is written so incredibly beautifully, the descriptions of the snow, of the eponymous hero's dying, of his love, his inner musings, his struggles, his hopes and his despair - all are written with such quiet and perfect observation, that one's own heart can follow almost inside of HIS heart. This is a great classic. The author never lived to see it's sudden trajectory to the tops of European best-seller lists - and that is a great shame. Maybe not unlike Stoner's own experience of being unappreciated. I cannot imagine why it has not reached the same appreciation in America as in Europe?It is a sad book for sure, but sad in the way that it is so true to life, to the common experience - it is not the 'hero' so often sought - as the critic in the New Yorker wrote - Stoner is the opposite of Gatsby. Maybe in america people want their heroes to be flamboyant, glamorous and dramatic. (I'm not knocking Gatsby which is of course a great novel - but as 'Hero's' go - Stoner is the opposite )The narration by Robin Field is also wonderful. He has a voice which seems to be naturally 'set' most of the time in the minor key - which is perfect for this book. However - at the other times where an outburst of anger or other emotion is called for - he conveys that in a way that is all the more shocking having listened to the almost melancholic tone of the rest of the reading.This is a book so precious and extra-ordinary that I have also bought its typed version.

The Husband's Secret

Imagine that your husband wrote you a letter, to be opened after his death. Imagine, too, that the letter contains his deepest, darkest secret - something with the potential to destroy not just the life you built together, but the lives of others as well. Imagine, then, that you stumble across that letter while your husband is still very much alive....

Has The Husband's Secret turned you off from other books in this genre?

I'm not sure what the genre is - but this is, I think badly written, boringly conceived and really does remind me of the few times I have seen mid-day television - is there something called Desparate Housewives? I think this must be like that... I liked the reviewer who said it was suitable for Philosophy 101

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

it was ok - she did a very good job considering the text she was reading.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Boredom. Annoyance.

Any additional comments?

I am rather sad (for the sake of an indication of the general level of intellect) that this has reached such heights in the New York Times best seller list - although I must say it is MILES above the Shades of Grey series...so I suppose that is a good thing.

Nothing to Be Frightened Of

"I don't believe in God, but I miss Him." This book is, among many things, a family memoir, an exchange with Barnes' brother (a philosopher), a meditation on mortality and the fear of death, a celebration of art, an argument with and about God, and a homage to the French writer Jules Renard. Though he warns us that "this is not my autobiography," the result is a tour of the mind of one of our most brilliant writers.

What made the experience of listening to Nothing to Be Frightened Of the most enjoyable?

Following the thought process of Julian Barnes - on a subject that is so often avoided. He has a remarkable clarity of thought and the process of his enquiry and exploration is fascinating. Interspersed with great humour. A wonderful book.

What about Julian Barnes’s performance did you like?

He wrote it - and so he reads it perfectly (although in some books this isn't the case)

Madame Bovary

Emma Bovary, a doctor's wife, seeks an escape from her dull life through having extra-marital affairs. Flaubert's novel scandalized its readers when it was first published in 1857, and it remains unsurpassed in its unveiling of character and society.

Under Milk Wood (Dramatised)

Richard Burton’s voice has been digitally remastered and seamlessly mixed with an all-Welsh cast to create a magical, fresh visit to the unique but universally recognisable world of Llareggub. Richard Burton’s inimitable narration as the Narrator in the BBC’s 1963 recording of 'Under Milk Wood' was hugely acclaimed.

A classic - that I have read many times but wanted to have handily on ipad to listen to at any given moment. It is magical...shut your eyes - and follow along the streets, meet the people - a masterpiece - of writing and reading.

Escape from Camp 14: One Man’s Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West

North Korea is isolated and hungry, bankrupt and belligerent. It is also armed with nuclear weapons. Between 150,000 and 200,000 people are being held in its political prison camps, which have existed twice as long as Stalin’s Soviet gulags and twelve times as long as the Nazi concentration camps. Very few born and raised in these camps have escaped - but Shin Dong-hyuk did.

I had no idea as to the extent of horror being perpetrated in North Korea. It is happening NOW under our noses - just the way the Holocaust did (for a much shorter time) and we are often filled with disbelief when those generations say they were not aware of it happening.So now -the very least we can do is be aware of this situation and this book is a very fine way to do it. It easily holds your attention - it does not need to add anything to be 'sensational' or 'shocking' - it is that without trying - but written and read very very well.It is a terrible thing that this is happening. Thank you for bringing this to our hearts and minds.

Shatter

Psychologist Joe O'Laughlin fails to stop a confused woman from jumping off a bridge to her death. Joe knows she had been talking on a cellphone. Now he needs to find out who - or what - was on the other end of the line.

I have to write this review as someone who was abused as a child. The main 'baddie' is someone who goes into detail about his fantasies about abusing children - and as such, it was really extremely upsetting (impossible actually) to listen to. It disturbs me that the author even has the words and 'imagination' to create this character. That to be able to have the sort of mind that can re-create the sickness and words and mind of a pedophile - seems very horrible. Perhaps I am 'oversenstive' on this particular subject - and others that have not been affected may take it as no more then a good thriller. If theft or murder had ever affected my life, I may feel the same about murder mysteries - but, unless they are extremely grisly - I don't. So - this is written just as a warning to other victims of child abuse - I would not advise downloading it.The performance seems good enough - from the part that I listened to.

The Night Circus

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

I really loved this book. It had me enthralled from the very first line- swept into the magic of it - so much that I did not want it to end. I usually keep the audiobooks for when I am painting, but this was so wonderful that I broke that rule - and had to listen to it at every possible moment. I highly recommend it if you love being swept away into a world of beautiful magic

The Prestige

In 1878, two young stage magicians clash in the dark during the course of a fraudulent séance. From this moment on, their lives become webs of deceit and revelation as they vie to outwit and expose each other. In the course of pursuing each other's ruin, they will deploy all the deception their magician's craft can command. Their rivalry will take them to the peaks of their careers, but with terrible consequences.

I really enjoyed this - thinking it was going to be about just illusions - but it is much more interesting and mysterious. Wonderfully read by Simon Vance. It had so many twists that I had to re-listen to previous parts to understand fully what had happened.

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